Despite growing up in a big family, Randy Travis never had any kids he called his own – but this doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to.
Randy Travis’ wife, Mary Travis, opened up to how “children are very special to Randy.” In fact, Mary revealed that whenever he sees a fan with a crying baby, the country singer would quickly come to the rescue by taking the crying baby and putting it on his lap.
And it seems like babies quickly fall in love with his “honey voice” too that they would look at Randy and be quiet – which never fails to amaze every mother.
Mary explained that Randy’s age difference with his then-wife, Elizabeth Hatcher-Travis or Lib, was the biggest factor why the Country Music Hall of Famer never had kids. Randy met Lib in North Carolina when he was just a teen while Lib was managing a country club.
The couple – who had sixteen years of age gap – tied the knot in 1991. Lib was already almost forty then, when they moved out to North Carolina together. They’ve been married for nearly two decades before divorcing in 2010.
Another reason could be Randy’s upbringing. Mary pointed out the different personalities of Randy’s parents, which have affected him in different ways throughout his life. She recalled how Randy once told her of how tough his father is – someone who “was not real kind on a bad day.”
But there were also those moments when there “were pure magic around the house” that he would find his father as the “kindest, gentlest, sweetest man in the world.” On the other hand, Randy’s mother had a gentle heart – a quality she shares with Randy – and she often bore the brunt of her husband’s darker impulses.
In fact, when Randy was about ten years old, his father got drunk and started beating his mother. Randy could no longer take it that he sprang into action – jumping on his father to pull him off his mother. Right after, Randy left their family home running with his father chasing him with a raised gun.
Randy revealed that he had hidden in a nearby cornfield for two days and would be trembling from anxiety – without any food and water at all – until he was certain his father was sober again.
Mary and Randy married in 2015, two years after Randy Travis’ stroke, which he is still on the road to recovery from. Yet, Randy is still mentally sharp, and he still enjoys being surrounded by kids quite a bit like he always has.
Mary said that Randy has always been very charismatic, captivating children, including animals, with his charm.